Beyond the Stretch

In 29, we talk about the things we wish we knew earlier in our fire service careers, and provide some tips and tricks we’ve picked up to our listeners. 

We dabble in some intro music and learn about Uncle Mike’s run in with a rap star. We then transition into talking about uphill battles and what it takes to love the process. 

No special guest? Nope, just Mike and Vinnie somehow relating Nicholas Cage to the fire service…

Season 3 starts off with two of the founding members of Fire Wife Life LLC joining us to talk about the reasons for their mission and how they have grown into the supportive global network they are today. 

TBD -  Last episode of season 2. 

Squad boss and councilman, Capt. Mike Dozier joins us on the podcast. Author of The Company Officer page, he talks about the vital role a company officer plays inside the day-to-day firehouse life. 

There is a difference between being uncomfortable and being unsafe. Or is there? We talk about this and more in number 23. 

With New Year's resolutions in full swing, Mike and Vinnie discuss the discipline it takes to be successful. Uncle Mike also elaborates on the 21-day process of developing a successful habit. 

Closing out the year 2022, Uncle Mike and Cousin Vinnie try their best to define competency throughout the fire service ranks. It isn't as easy as you think...

Episode 19 is a discussion about the work-life balance. How well does the fire service really support the families of their members, and why is there such a turnover rate?  Where can we do better as organizations and is there a way to develop a culture of retention in today's ranks?

After a little break, we finally find ourselves back behind the microphones. In this episode we quick-hit several different topics we have saved to discuss as podcasters. We hope you all get some nuggets out of number 18.  

The unique relationship between supervisors and their team members that exists in the fire service, especially after discipline is discussed. 

A listener gives us a question that takes an entire episode to answer. How do we feel about  the unfortunate reality of a single responder in the fire service?

Our "Season 2" of BTS kicks off with Capt. Bobby Eckert of Camden, NJ. He is a salty veteran, and owner of Eckert Fire Tactics. We discuss his upcoming class in Myrtle Beach, SC and dabble into building construction as he speaks about infusing positivity into training. 

The last day of the 2022 SC Fire Rescue Conference makes Uncle Mike go rogue to connect with Battalion Chief Jonah Smith of Hornet Fire Training and The Charlotte Fire Department. A high-energy, positive teacher in the fire service, the two of them discuss challenges in today's fire service before closing with engine company operations. 

Lucky episode number 13 introduces Mr. Chance Craven of Craven Design Co. A professional photographer who documents firefighters while they train and perform on the fire ground. Also a certified firefighter, Chance describes his mission to capture imagery in the fire service to both Mike and Vinnie at the 2022 SC Fire Rescue Conference. 

Battalion Chief Richard Ray is a 27-year veteran of the Durham Fire Department in North Carolina. He has presented at multiple fire conferences including FDIC and SAFRE. He is a member of the UL FSRI technical panel and a contributor for Fire Engineering. His passion and commitment for the fire service is palpable as we talk to him live at the 2022 SC Fire Rescue Conference. 

Violence of Action is a doctrine of military units, especially in special warfare. We define this term and discuss how to establish this mindset for our mission. 

The roles and responsibilities for mid-level bosses in the fire service frequently change and are challenging. They can fluctuate between administrative and technical. Uncle Mike discusses this as he compares the look of the officer's uniform as either stained or starched. 

Uncle Mike is keeping it 💯 as he explains while some of us can’t handle our liquor in the fire service. 

We all find confetti in our personal and professional lives. Cousin Vinnie uses this analogy to describe how long cultural and professional growth takes to occur, and that sometimes the reminders of the "old way" that still linger can be a positive reminder of your journey. 

Uncle Mike and Cousin Vinnie try to answer a listener's email question about incident scene size-ups. They will discuss every aspect of evaluating the incident scene and the implementation of tactics that are associated to what the first arriving incident commander encounters. 

Cousin Vinnie gets some microphone time explaining why the engine should be considered a specialty company in the fire service. Does heavy rescue and truck loving Uncle Mike agree?

Uncle Mike ties our first four BTS episodes together with a story of the Sentinels who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. We reveal what our motivation was to start a podcast, and talk about the vulnerability and risk associated with leadership.